3 Tips for Extending the Life of Your Fly Line
A fly rod with a neglected fly line is a lot like a car with bald tires, in that neither is going to perform their intended function well, you are going to lack control, and your time out is going to be more frustrating than fun. With a good fly line costing on average between $90 - $140, it is a vital fly-fishing asset that needs to be cared for if it is going to perform well. Overtime, failure to care for your fly line will begin to wreak havoc on your accuracy, fly presentation, drift, and ultimately your ability to catch fish.
In this article I’m going to discuss the three most common ways that fly lines break down, how to address each of them, and discuss when it is time to bite the bullet and purchase a new line.
A Dirty Line is a Dead Line
The buildup of dirt, oil, and dust overtime will be the death sentence of any fly line. Fly lines are impregnated with micro air-filled beads which give them their buoyancy, and the accumulation of dirt and grime adds a seemingly insignificant amount of weight that can tip the buoyancy balance and cause your line to sink. Dirt and oil also act as a surfactant, reducing the surface tension of the fly line, and causing it to quickly drop through the surface of the water. Finally, overtime if dirt and grime is allowed to sit on the line, it will dry out the plastic causing it to crack while and exposing the core of the line. Once a fly line begins to crack, the core of the line will suck up water like a straw, and the line will need to be replaced.
To prevent your fly line from sinking or cracking we all should get in the habit of regularly cleaning your line after every couple of trips to the river. While several companies sell line cleaning pads and special soaps, the most cost-effective way to clean your line is as follow.
- In a bucket, add a small amount of Dawn dish soap and then fill the bucket with warm water.
- Strip your soiled fly line into the bucket of soapy water and allow it to soak for 15-20 minutes.
- With a clean rag tightly gripped in your hand, draw the fly line from the soapy water and through the rag.
- Continue to run the line through the rag, moving to clean patches as needed, until the entire length of the line has been wiped clean.
- Reel in your line and get your gear ready for the next fishing trip!
Dealing with Bad (Line) Memory
Overtime after your fly line has been tightly wound on the reel, those loops will persist as you strip out line and begin to fish. The resulting memory of the time spent coiled on the reel is a slinky-like presentation in where only a fraction of your line will make contact with the water, which will cause your line to quickly sink and drag through the current. To correct this, you will need to stretch out the memory.
Here is how you remove memory from your line:
- On your front lawn or floor of your house, strip out the first 50 feet of fly line
- Starting with the section of line closest to your backing, begin to apply a firm, steady stretching pressure to 2-3 feet of line time, moving towards the leader
- Hold the stretching pressure on each section of the line for several seconds and until the line lays straight once the pressure is released.
- Continue and repeat towards the end of the fly line
- Reel in your line and get your gear ready for the next fishing trip!
Fixing a Twist
A twist in your fly line can accumulate overtime for a number of reasons. Whether it is due to your casting arch, casting across a wind that can cause your fly and line to repeatedly roll over, or retrieving a streamer through the current, the result of an accumulated twist in your line will look and behave very similarly to memory in a line.
Here is how you remove twist from your fly line.
- On your front lawn or floor of your house, strip out all of your fly line until you reach the backing
- Pinch the line closest to your backing and vigorously whip the 3-4 feet of line above your hand up and down as you slide your hand up the line
- DON’T release your grip on the line as you whip up its length towards the loop
- Reel in your line and get your gear ready for the next fishing trip!
Cuts, Cracks, and Broken Loops
Nothing lasts forever, and once your fly line has a cut, cracks that expose the core, missing pieces of plastic sheathing, or a broken loop, this line will take on water like a sieve and it‘s time for a new line.
We hope that this helps you prepare for a great fishing year in 2024, and if you end up needing a new line, the team at Ascent Fly Fishing is here to help you out!
Fly of the Month
Ray Charles
Color: Tan
Size: 20
